WASHINGTON -- Who in Washington needs the Oscars when the White House is rolling out the red carpet for a film festival of its own?

Two days before attention shifts to Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, the White House will create a little buzz for America's future filmmakers.

At a festival Friday afternoon, President Barack Obama will recognize the best of nearly 2,500 films that were submitted by K-12 students on the role technology plays in their education. It's one of the president's favourite subjects.

An "academy" of Obama administration officials did the judging.

Sixteen films chosen as finalists will be screened at the White House for an audience that's expected to include Bill Nye the Science Guy and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.